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This tool is helpful for managing, speeding up and organizing a user's downloads

This tool is helpful for managing, speeding up and organizing a user's downloads

Vote: (4,074 votes)

Program license: Trial version

Developer: Tonec Inc.

Version: 6.41-3

Works under: Windows

Vote:

Program license

(4,074 votes)

Trial version

Developer

Version

Tonec Inc.

6.41-3

Works under:

Windows

Pros

  • Accelerate download speeds
  • Manage files in one easy place
  • Resume broken or incomplete downloads
  • Customizable interface and features

Cons

  • One more program to manage and deal with
  • Pop-up windows when downloading files may be undesirable
  • Updates happen infrequently

Internet Download Manager (IDM) is a program used to manage internet file transfers. While downloading software can normally be somewhat messy, using a download manager can organize and even speed up the process significantly.

File downloads are typically quite unorganized, making them difficult to track and categorize when multiple transfers are ongoing. Using Internet Download Manager will not only make the process more visually organized and easier to manage, but it can also accelerate your download speed by making multiple connections to the same file and running them all at once. In addition, IDM also has myriad features designed to make downloading files much easier and more efficient.

IDM plugs straight into your browser, allowing you to download files with just a single click. This can make it much easier to start multiple transfers at once, reducing the time you spend on a webpage trying to download all the files you want. IDM achieves this by detecting when you click on specific types of links in your browser and then capturing those clicks and managing them itself. Clicking on a file you would want to download causes IDM to pop up with a dialogue allowing you to choose what to do with the file, including choosing its download location and selecting what to do after the transfer finishes.

Speaking of multiple file downloads, you can use IDM to detect any files within a single web page and automatically select them in order to download them all at once. Not only can you download everything you need at the same time, but the accelerator will use your maximum bandwidth to transfer your files as quickly as possible.

If your connection happens to be interrupted in the middle of a download, IDM will keep the partially transferred file and resume when it detects the connection has been reestablished. Features are built in to correct any errors or inconsistencies found when resuming the file, ensuring no corrupted data after the transfer finishes.

Finally, IDM's interface is extremely customizable. Everything from the visual elements to what happens when files finish downloading can be customized, only limited by the imagination. For example, the order of the buttons at the top of the main screen can be changed. The overall color and styling of the program can also be changed. Many user-designed skins are available on IDM's website.

Compared to regular downloads, Internet Download Manager provides a much easier, more efficient, and quicker way to download multiple files at the same time. Even if you download only a single file at a time, IDM will make multiple connections in order to download it much faster than the standard downloader built into your web browser. To make things better, IDM is compatible with near every modern browser, running in the background and integrating itself seamlessly into your experience.

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Accelerate download speeds
  • Manage files in one easy place
  • Resume broken or incomplete downloads
  • Customizable interface and features

Cons

  • One more program to manage and deal with
  • Pop-up windows when downloading files may be undesirable
  • Updates happen infrequently

Pros

  • Optimizes download speeds
  • Supports scheduled downloads

Cons

  • Outmoded user interface

Internet Download Manager optimizes your download speeds and automatically sorts your downloads into appropriate categories.

Whether you download a file once in a while or download hundreds of files a day, Internet Download Manager or IDM can be quite useful. By default, it’s there whenever you click on a link, and you can also program it to start with Windows as well as activate, download, and organize at scheduled times.

One of the biggest ways IDM can help is optimization of download speeds, which it does by downloading multiple files at the same time as well as requesting pieces of a single file simultaneously. Even if a web server limits your speeds, you can circumvent that limitation by requesting the various pieces of the file you want all at the same time.

IDM can download one file at a time. It can download entire websites, and you can create batches of items that can be downloaded now or later. The program also offers an array of ancillary tools, such as the ability to record a website as video. IDM also integrates with most web browsers so that you can use the program seamlessly when you encounter content you want. Download the item immediately or add it to a queue to be downloaded later or at a scheduled time.

Another way that IDM distinguishes itself from other downloaders is through automatic categorization. Images, videos, music and other files are automatically saved to appropriate folders. You can assign paths for items like all images or broken down into GIF, JPEG and so forth. You can also download files on a per-project basis and have the categorization performed for that project rather than overall.

The newest version of IDM provides full support for Windows 10 and adds many features that the modern Internet user requires. Unfortunately, Tonec opted to not update the user interface. This isn’t a deal-breaker. The program still works wonderfully. Nevertheless, the UI is an eyesore and had already seemed outdated both aesthetically and functionally when Windows 7 was new.

Pros

  • Optimizes download speeds
  • Supports scheduled downloads

Cons

  • Outmoded user interface